Review and copy-edit two gender-responsive adjudication manuals
Organizational Context
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, working globally to accelerate progress on their needs. The organization supports Member States in setting gender equality standards and collaborates with governments and civil society to implement laws, policies, and programs. This assignment operates entirely online, contributing to strengthening knowledge products for gender-responsive justice.
Job Purpose
This assignment involves a rigorous legal and editorial quality-assurance review of two UN Women publications: a Resource Manual and a Training Manual on Gender-Responsive Adjudication for Judicial Officers in Uganda. Both manuals are nearing completion and require expert editing before publication. The purpose is to ensure the clarity, coherence, accuracy, and publication readiness of these critical documents. The Online Volunteer's contribution will enhance the quality and usability of these knowledge products, supporting gender-responsive justice and gender equality initiatives within Uganda's judicial system.
Responsibilities
The Online Volunteer will conduct a comprehensive legal and editorial quality-assurance review of two gender-responsive adjudication manuals. This includes checking for clarity, coherence, structure, and overall publication readiness. Responsibilities involve ensuring consistency in terminology, legal propositions, and references across both documents. The volunteer will flag any guidance presented as a legal requirement under Ugandan law for UN Women's validation, and review citations for accuracy and completeness. Internal cross-references, headings, and numbering will be verified. The role requires copy-editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and readability, while identifying and recommending solutions for unclear or problematic passages. A final quality-assurance check will ensure consistency between the manuals and address any legal, technical, or production issues. The volunteer will submit reviewed documents with tracked changes and a summary of key findings.
Work Experience
Strong professional experience in substantive editing, copy-editing, proofreading, and quality assurance of technical publications is required. Demonstrated experience reviewing legal, judicial, human rights, gender, or related policy publications is essential, with experience in judicial materials being a strong asset. Familiarity with legal citation, referencing, and cross-referencing practices is necessary.
Skills
Excellent command of written English and advanced editing skills are crucial. Strong attention to detail is needed to identify inconsistencies and maintain coherence across documents. The ability to provide clear editorial recommendations while preserving the authors' intent is important. Candidates must be able to work independently, maintain confidentiality, and deliver high-quality work within a short timeframe.